Methods for treating the prostate and inhibiting obstruction of the prostatic urethra using biodegradable stents

Abstract

Methods of treating the prostate include administering a thermal ablation therapy and inhibiting the obstruction or closure of the prostatic urethral opening by forming a biodegradable stent in situ in the subject such that the stent attaches to the walls of the prostatic urethra. A related method of treating BPH includes thermally treating or ablating localized tissue in the prostate with a treatment catheter and inserting flowable stent material via the treatment catheter into the prostate (either before, during, or after the thermal treatment), forming the flowable stent material so that it defines a stent that remains in position after removal of the treatment catheter to inhibit the closure of the urinary passage. Associated stents and catheters are included.

Description

The present invention relates to methods for treating the prostate and / or prostatic urethral stents configured for use after thermal ablation treatments.Conventionally, several types of thermal treatment systems have been proposed to treat certain pathologic conditions of the body by heating or thermally ablating targeted tissue. These thermal treatment systems have used various heating sources to generate the heat necessary to treat or ablate the targeted tissue. For example, laser, microwave, ultrasound, and radio-frequency (RF) energy sources have been proposed to produce the heat that is then directed to the targeted tissue in or around the selected body cavity. These types of thermal treatment systems have been used to thermally ablate the prostate (as well as other organs, body cavities, and / or natural lumens).One particularly successful thermal ablation system thermally ablates the prostate by a thermocoagulation process. This thermal ablation system employs a closed loop liq...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a biodegradable and / or biocompatible prostatic stent that that can be formed in situ via use of the treatment catheter and is suitable for inhibiting post thermal ablation therapy obstruction in the prostate.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the prostate illustrating the ablated tissue with a biocompatible biodegradable stent according to embodiments of the present invention secured to the ablated tissue and in the acini ducts to thereby bolster the structural integrity of the stent.

Problems solved by technology

Initially, the ablated tissue can expand or swell due to inflammation or edema which can undesirably block or obstruct the prostatic urethra.

Further, during the healing period, portions of the treated tissue can slough off and create an undesirable and unduly limited opening size.

However, removal of the treatment catheter and reinsertion of another catheter or stent may cause the tissue along the insertion path and / or treatment region to experience additional irritation.

While these type catheters allow the post-treatment catheter to be securely positioned relative to the bladder neck of the subject, natural operation of the sphincter is inhibited, and the configuration is relatively cumbersome (in position it extends through the penile urethra) and can be considered unduly invasive by the user and may increase the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) when in position in the subject (particularly, when used for extended periods of time).

Other post-treatment catheter configurations (also known as "indwelling catheters" and "stents") have also been proposed; however, some of the catheter types can inhibit the ability to flush out blood clots which may exist from the therapy, and others are undesirably invasive to the user and / or prevent or inhibit the natural operation of the sphincter.

Still others are not able to be properly located within the prostatic cavity about the treatment region and / or are unable to retain their desired position in the prostate over time.

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